Assassins Creed: Creature of the Night
by Lio76
Summary: The story of John Ledra, the hybrid soldier of the Ethan Ketra Chronicles. John was born in italy and raised by humans, but his hybrid nature pointed to a distinctly inhuman ancestry. As he fights as a Death Dealer, he searches for his past as an assassn
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: another day in the life

May fifth, 1500. Dawn penetrated the window of my little place in Florence. It wasn't bad, but I rarely stayed in one place for long. My face, or at least my human face, was all over the city. Many people have offered me shelter from the goodness of their hearts, and even offered me food before I had to leave. I always refused.

I finally got out of my bed and got dressed for the day. My outfit consisted of an ornate robe left open to expose my clothing. It was black as the night. It helped me blend in with the darkness. I had a black vest with a white shirt beneath and black trousers with boots and black leather greaves and black leather bracers on my forearms. I carried a bag full of silver coins in hopes of forging new weapons.

I got dressed, grabbed my bag of silver, and ran downstairs to say goodbye to the human family that kept me safe for the night. The wife gave me a quick hug and sent me on my way. Again, the guards here were always after me. This is why I resolved to leave Florence. I thought back to a previous offer of sanctuary.

The night before, I was on the run from the guards who saw me kill a lycan in their human state. They thought I was an assassin and chased me. On the rooftops, I chanced by a true, self-trained assassin by the name of Ezio Auditore. He said I could always stay with him in his family villa until the Florentine guard . I resolved for the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni.

First, I had to get to a horse and carriage. After wandering past the blacksmith, I found one. I paid the man 200 florins to get me there and keep quiet about it. Fortunately, the man at the station was true to his word and there was no ambush waiting for me outside the city of Florence. It was late in the night when I finally arrived. There weren't many people there, a comforting sight to someone like me. I stepped out of the carriage with my bag of silver in tow. I walked toward the Villa. It was a quiet little town. I knew the Villa was the largest building in the town. When I stepped up to it, a man in a black hood and very light armor greeted me.

"Messer John Ledra? Glad you took up my offer." He said. I knew this was the Assassin I had met the night before. His voice was cocky as he said this. "What's in the bag?"

"Just some Silver. I need some weapons to deal with my targets and only the best will do." I said. I wasn't sure if I could tell him what I was or what I do. We met once and he offered me a place to stay. The way I dress was sometimes off-putting, but compared to what Ezio was wearing, my robes were totally normal. "I decided I'd like a more permanent residence. Formal training in assassinations would be a plus and of course to have something built."

At this point, I pulled out three scrolls with weapon sketches drawn up by Lucian when he was the coven's weapon smith. Ezio took the scrolls and looked over them. He rolled them back up and gave them to me.

"These call for silver and a lot of it. As for building these, we should wait until tomorrow." He said. Ezio had a calm demeanor rare for someone who's seen the difficulty of Lucians weapon designs. "Come. Let me give you the tour." He led me into the main hall. We turned left and walked towards the armory. When we walked in, there was all the armor and weapons he had collected over the years.

Odds are, the armor could fit me. "This is the armory. Here, you can take any armor you'd like before we leave for Venezia. I have a friend there who can build these weapons for you." We kept walking until we reached an art gallery and then on to the bedrooms. He found an empty room and decided I should take it.

"I had Mario set it up. This is your room. Tomorrow we head to Venice, so sleep well and visit the armory in the morning before we head out." Ezio was kind in this respect. I put my silver bag by the door on the inside and got into the room. My assignments, it's worth noting, come from Victor for the time being. His only condition is that I keep him updated on my progress. I took out a piece of paper and a quill. I sat at the desk that was there and started writing.

Thankfully, he thought I was just another vampire. I wrote on about how I was staying in Monteriggioni and how I would soon be better equipped to hunt down the Lycans here and I enclosed a feather coated in their blood. I ended my writing and proceeded to sleep after sending the letter off with a pigeon to Hungary. Lycans never sleep and Vampires do so during the day, but I sleep like any normal human. I went to the bed, closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.

When I woke up the next day, I found a belt next to my robe just like what Ezio wore. I put it on once I got dressed and made my way to the armory. I saw a strong metal armor with fancy designs as part of the metal. I put that on and looked over the weapons. I saw several swords and I decided to take the scimitar. I had a passion for unusual weapons. I had it in a sling attached to the Assassin belt I now wore.

The bracers, greaves, chest guard and shoulder guards fit like a glove and thank god they were held on by strings of fabric that could stretch as I turn and my wings would create holes in the back that could be shaven down on a repair job. Or sliced clean by my wings. Ezio came down and caught me. "Ready to leave?" he asked. I nodded and we walked around trying to get out of the villa. When we just got outside the villa, a man ran up holding a letter. He gave it to me and ran off. I opened it and saw it was from Viktor. I could tell from his seal on it in blood red wax. I remember the words perfectly and I must say that Viktor's handwriting is downright awful.

_Messer John Ledra,_ _I have reason to believe Venice will bring you more than just some new weapons. Two Death Dealers were murdered by a group of Lycan bastardi the night before. Be mindful of the night, my friend. And move quickly. There are also rumors that Lucian may be in Venice. His death will bring the war to a swift end. -Viktor_.

Now, I had to get to Venice and get my weapons. If I can find Lucian, I can make my case to leave the coven and try to live a normal existence. I started running towards the carriage. Ezio followed suit and managed to keep up. We left the gates and got to the carriage. I loaded my bag of silver and the weapon scrolls inside and took seat with Ezio at the reins. "In a hurry?"

"I'll explain when we meet this friend of yours. We should get going." With that remark, Ezio started the horses and we made our way to Venice. The ride was uneventful. I could have flown there myself, but the silver was heavy. Nearly halfway into our journey, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. Lycans, but not of Lucians breed. These were feral first-generation lycans, never able to take human form again. They were gaining from behind. I had to take great care to keep Ezio in the dark until I could explain. I told him to drive from the inside.

I stayed up top and shifted into my hybrid form, the only way I could expect me and Ezio to survive. My normally clean fingernails lengthened and sharpened into wicked black claws that could cut through the rough bark of Italy's native trees with worrisome ease. Great pain erupted in my mouth as my teeth sharpened. The sound of bones cracking and shifting came next. My face elongated into a muzzle much like my pursuers.

My ears became like those of a lycan, but larger and more like the sonar tuned ears of a bit. An unholy mix of bat and wolf. Fur covered my body and I grew a wolven tail from the base of my spine. Explosions of pain at my shoulders indicated my least favorite part of the transformation. Great thin, but strong leathery wings grew out from my back. Thankfully, the excess metal was cut away.

My feet elongated to allow a more lupine stance, shredding my boots in the process, the cloth flew in all directions, scattering as the carriage moved. My greaves remained attached to my calves, refusing to give. I was fortunate in that respect. The change took about one minute, but in my mind, it always eemed longer.

Two Lycans were coming around the carriage. They both leapt on the top. I tripped one up with my legs and impaled its head with my wings. It shifted back to human form (first generations only did this when they died) and I let it fall off. The other one jumped at me, so I quickly took out the scimitar and sliced at its neck, sending the head farther than the body. I heard two more coming around.

They both leapt up at the same time. I stabbed my scimitar into one's head and grabbed the other and snapped its neck. Both died and became humans once more. I never did get that scimitar back, not that I regret it. I saw we were almost in Venice. I shifted back to human form. This process was much faster than when I shifted to my hybrid form. I jumped back inside with Ezio. "What happened up there?" he asked.

"Bandits. Got pretty ugly." I answered. The headless one was still hanging off the side. Ezio noticed it. I quickly shoved it off. But he still saw it.

"Naked bandits?" he asked. "what is Italy coming to?" Thankfully, we were just about there. I grabbed my bag and replaced my boots. I took the scrolls in hand and walked out. Venice was quite a contrast to Monteriggioni. It was crowded and difficult to get around in. I had Ezio handle Lucian's scrolls and my bag of silver coins. We walked for ten minutes before someone followed us. He was playing a lute and would not leave us alone.

Under most circumstances, I would have bitten him and let both the Vampirism and Lycanthropy viruses work against each other, killing him. However, I did not want this guy's memories. Ezio threw out a handful of florins and the loot player went running. "I always carry a lot of florins with me just in case." He explained. We walked further on, until we reached a building with what looked like a pair of wings on the roof. I had heard rumors of something like this even in Florence. This friend was clearly a brilliant inventor.

He would be able to build these weapons, but the scrolls contained accounts of Lucians life as the covens weapons crafter. I suppose Ezio would have found out sooner or later. He knocked on the door three times. "Leonardo! Leonardo!" he shouted. The door opened and a man in blue and a red hat and cape stepped out.

"Ezio? So good to see you, my friend." said the man.

"Leonardo da Vinci, I'd like for you to meet john Ledra." Ezio said. "He seems to be very gifted, perhaps even an assassin order hopeful."

"Actually," I said, "I have to explain that. But first, you should look at these." I took out the scrolls that Lucian had written 88 years ago. Leonardo motioned for us to come inside. He had a metal forge and many drawings and paintings. Ezio laid my bag of silver on his table next to the scrolls. Leonardo took them up. He noticed some things automatically.

"This is not of the codex. It's not even encrypted." He said. He read through it quickly. "So this was written by a weapons crafter? But why is he so oppressed by…" he read the line again just to be sure "vampires?" He looked shocked. He picked up the weapon designs. "Finally something easy. It's just a sword version of the hidden blade, but it seems to be mounted ABOVE the hand. This Lucian fellow seems quite clear on the use of silver."

Leonardo got right to work he molded the parts from the molten silver coins from my bag. Building the weapon was quick and the bracers were finished and he gave them to me. I put them on quickly, put on my gloves and put the rings on my thumbs. The bracers had an ornate silver plate covering the mechanism perfectly. Leonardo approached me.

"hold your thumb against your palm." He told me. I did as he asked and the blade extended fast, catching Ezio off guard. It was collapsible, but the sides and tip were very sharp. The blade itself was about 18 inches in length and 1.2 inches in width. Moved my thumb to it's normal position and the blade went back in. "Lucian calls it the Dead Man's hand. I just call it a hidden sword. Now as for this war that Lucian mentioned in his writings, I believe you should tell me."

Under the decision that there was no way around it, I decided to explain what I learned from Viktor's writings to me. Since I was born outside the halls of the Ordoghaz coven (the reason I'm still alive) I knew only scattered details.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: An answer for the order

"I was born here in Italy, but here's what I know. In the year 502, three children were born to a Hungarian warlord named Alexander Corvinus. One bitten by bat to become the first vampire, and one bitten by wolf to become the first werewolf, and a third doomed to mortality as a human. While William, the werewolf, laid waste to the humans, the vampire, Marcus, took two humans to become vampire elders, rulers of the coven he and Viktor created. William was imprisoned and it was decided that only one elder should rule the coven." I stared my tale this way. Ezio and Leonardo listened with fascination.

"Now the coven is ruled by Viktor after Amelia left. In 1202, Lucian was born. He was the first werewolf to be able to take human form, but he would not be the last. Viktor used Lucian's infectious blood to create a new breed. They were called Lycans, and they were Viktor's slaves." I paused to take a breath. I could usually go on talking for 5 minutes before breathing.

"In 1432, Lucian led a massive uprising against the vampires and he and his forces escaped. A good deal of Lucians men are here in Italy. That's why I'm here." Leonardo was noticeably confused. Ezio had one question in the back of his mind that he had to ask.

"So, you are a vampire?" he asked.

To answer his question, I closed my eyes and forced myself into my hybrid form. The wings came first this time, greeted with explosions of pain at my shoulder blades. My boots were shredded by a growing foot structure that was far more animalistic. The tattered remains falling all over Leonardo's nice floor. Black lupine fur started growing all over my body and a tail emerged, quite painfully, from my spine faster than it usually does.

The final changes were almost underway. The bones beneath my face painfully stretched and rearranged, forming a lupine muzzle. My teeth clenched as they sharpened. My fingernails sharpened as well. They went from their clean clipped state to wicked black claws.

I opened my eyes seeing the room around me. I think now is a good time to point out that unlike the lycans, I can speak in my altered form, but my voice is more animalistic, although it can still be understood.

"Not exactly." I said. "I am the child of a lycan and a vampire. The fact that I feed on lycans blood points to my more lupine features. Their blood also gives me their memories. And I can find them easier under a full moon."

Ezio stayed firm. "What about the letter you received?" the assassin asked.

"Orders from Viktor. He thinks I am just another vampire of a different coven. He said to be on the lookout as he thinks Lucian is in Venice. If I can take him down, I can end this war and maybe find out the secrets of my past." Ezio was confused, but Leonardo followed perfectly.

"If you wish to assist me, you'll need silver weapons." Ezio took out his sword and his hidden blades. He handed them to Leonardo. He dipped the sword in the molten silver and it cured to the surface.

He forged a new dagger and many throwing knives and built silver hidden blades and even silver rounds for Ezios hidden gun. The whole process went on until the night. Ezio and I took to the rooftops.

Lycans were typically clad in dark leather. I caught the scent of one of them. The full moon illuminated the Venetian streets and I could see more clearly. Nobody save for the guards were out at night.

I flapped my mighty wings and took off into the sky. Ezio followed from the rooftops as best he could. Ezio seemed to see my target as well. He readied his hidden gun and aimed for the lycans ankle. He fell to the ground and I landed near to him.

"I would have expected more from one who killed two death dealers." I said menacingly. The lycan on the ground stood speechless. I took him by the collar of his shirt in my right hand, held him up and readied the hidden sword on my left arm. He was panicking now.

As the guards were coming in, Ezio took them out one by one with his throwing knives and ran off to stem the reinforcements. "Viktor has reason to believe Lucian is in Venice. Where is he?" I snarled as I held the blade to his throat.

"Why should I tell you?" he asked. The Lycan spit on me. This was hilarious. This guy was either very brave or very stupid. I was going to guess the latter.

"If you won't tell me," I said as I readied myself to drain his blood, "your memories will." I sank my teeth into his neck and drank of his blood. A flood of images penetrated my mind. I saw this lycan standing with Lucian and someone I believed at the time to be a female lycan.

He said he would retreat farther north, as the nights were longer and that gave him peace. The unnamed lycan mentioned the death dealer in Italy who had killed off most of the lycans in Florence. Lucian dismissed it and left. I came back to reality.

The lycan had given me all the information I needed. I shove my hidden sword through him and removed it with blood dripping down its length. I took the body to the canal with Ezio following me.

I dumped it and it sank to the bottom. I shifted back to my human form and wiped the blood from my mouth. Ezio looked at what I had done with disapproval.

"What about a little respect for the dead?" I am aware such practices were common in HIS order, but Death Dealers did not practice such things when dealing with lycans. But I snarled at him, causing the Assassin to back up a bit.

"Respect?" I growled. I have been killing Lycans almost my hole life now. Technically, I am an outcast from them. "What respect would HE have shown ME? He is an inhuman monster!"

"And so are you!" Ezio shouted. "But you can be better than them." He muttered something in italian and ended his little eulogy with the phrase "Requiescat in pace".

"We should go. I have to alert Viktor. He'll want to know what I got from that lycan." Ezio nodded and followed me. I caught the scent of another lycan, but it was constantly moving and I couldn't track it.

Ezio had the scent of lycans blood coming from his sword and his blades. Those guards must have been lycans. No wonder the death dealers didn't see them. They were integrated into Venetian society. If not for my senses, this would be impossible.

We returned to Leonardo's place to say our goodbyes. Ezio got himself a ship back to Monteriggioni and I followed him on the ship. We returned to the villa. I got back to my desk in my room and began to write off another status update.

_Viktor, I have allied myself with the Assassin Order and already have made descent progress. Five lycans died last night in Venice and it will soon be cleansed as I did with Florence. However, I could not find Lucian. Before death, one lycan mentioned that he fled to the north with what he thought was a female lycan. If you have any information on that, send it to me so I may make a better informed decision -John Ledra_

Hopefully, Viktor would relay something to me. But, I was certain at the time that he's been keeping me in the dark. I never knew my mother or my father. I didn't know which one was a vampire and which one a lycan. It all seemed irrelevant, but it kept me from sleep that night.

I had to do something to counteract the boredom. I realized I only had one pair of boots left. And one thing I hated was having to change my boots every time I shifted into my altered form. I took my last pair down to a tailor that was still open. I told him I wanted the front and sides to be able to open and close.

He took my boots and said to see him in a few minutes. I walked on through the city still in my human form. I felt a very dark presence in the city. Near the gate, I saw a man in black armor atop a horse.

The helmet was very ornate and looked just like a skull. He dismounted his horse and removed his helmet. By his blue eyes, I could tell he was a vampire, but I couldn't tell if he had a high position. His hair was grey, so maybe he was an elder.

He approached me on the streets. "Messer Ledra?" he asked. His accent was thick and pretentious. Definitely in a position of power. Was this…?

"Viktor?" I asked him. He nodded. I could tell he thought this place was not very crowded and easy to stay concealed in. I used this to my advantage on my moonlit flights in my altered form.

"So, this is Monteriggioni? How quaint. You said Lucian was not in Venice?" He walked toward the villa and I followed.

"I found a lycan in venice that was close to Lucian. Thrasos, I think his name was. He said that Lucian and some lycan female were going up north."

If you've been paying attention, I actually got that from the lycans blood memories. But any vampire who tried would have died, as no human would have survived a bite from both species. I couldn't tell Viktor any of this. I knew of his hatred of the very idea of the bloodlines mixing from the Lycans' blood memories.

"I think there's something your not telling me." I said assertively.

"I have told all I feel is necessary. All you have to do is kill." Viktor stood there still. We stopped when we reached the training circle.

"How long are you staying here in italy?" I asked. He packed light, So my guess was that he was staying somewhere close by. He usually travels light as most vampires do.

"About two weeks. I've been looking forward to seeing your actions myself." Oh crap. I got all my info from blood memories. "Bear in mind, Lucian sometimes deceives his men in case they are interrogated. We'll be on the lookout for him and his mate."

Whenever he mentions Lucian or his mate, his voice takes on a tone of disgust. Does his hatred for the lycans run that deep? I never dared ask him this to his face. I decided to leave the elder to his own devices. I quickly ran to the tailor, and my boots were ready. I saw that they had straps on the sides and front that would release when I shifted into my altered form and could be tightened when I shifted back to my human form.

As glad as I was to save money on boots, it was still overshadowed by Viktor's presence. I needed also the traditional hidden blades. I ran frantically searching. Once I found them, I slid them beneath my palms and put the trigger rings on my pinkies. The straps of the bracers held them in place. I tested them by moving my hands to expose the palms.

The blades triggered. I moved my hands back to their normal positions and the blades retracted. I walked to the codex wall and found that one page that listed different assassination techniques. I resolved to practice these in the morning. I still had to pass a few hours before sunrise. To do this, I decided to go off to the walls around the town.

I left the villa with my new blades. I saw Viktor riding around the city off to the mines. _Of course. Underground, no sunlight. WAIT! He's staying in Monteriggioni? F***!_ My mind, it seems, is fouler than my mouth. I wondered if the council was there too. It seemed likely. I didn't dare to go there unless Viktor or any of the council members specifically requested my presence.

Sleep wouldn't come to my tonight, so I went to the training circle. There was a dummy there, draped over it was the armor of a Florentine guard. I have a target. I extended my blades and proceed to start shred the dummy. I moved with grace, dignity, and fury. By blades were like an extension of my body. I loved the feeling of total fluidness in my combat movement. I heard someone walking up behind me. Once I was certain the armor (and the dummy it protected) I turned to see Ezio standing there with a look of approval.

"Impressive. Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked

"I wasn't trained. I watched other death dealers from a distance. I recognize movements, and learn the style." I told him. It is true I had a very good memory for violence and fighting styles. I always told myself that that was my Lycan side.

"It's very fluid. You never stopped. I thought only the Assassins fought like that." Ezio said. Holy crap. I had no idea as to the similarities here. Did the death Dealers ever work with the Assassins? Were there vampires amongst the Assassins or Assassins amongst the Death Dealers? Who knows. I would learn that the connection later. "Tomorrow we start formal training. Go back to the Villa and get some rest." He said to me. I went back to my room and tried to sleep. Tommorrow, the real journey would begin.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Training Day

May 7th 1500. This was it. Today, Ezio officially started training me in the way of his order and the arts that they perfected. I was in my bed, trying to get back some lost sleep from the night before. This was to be short-lived as Ezio came barging in to my room firing off a blank from his hidden gun. I woke startled, but full of energy. I just got dressed and got my armor and blades on for the day. Ezio snapped out of it and lead me out to the town.

He took me to the blacksmith's building for whatever reason. I wasn't going to ask questions. He pointed up at the structure. "Today, we focus on the first priority of any assassin: navigation. An assassin needs to know how to get around. For most of us, that means the rooftops. Unfortunately, you have to get up there." He explained.

"So, I'm supposed to climb that?" I asked. Ezio nodded and proceeded to demonstrate. His hands reaching to every handhold, his feet constantly moving to new points to keep up with his hands. The closest thing I could think of to this would be rock climbing.

When he reached the top, he pulled himself onto the roof. He made it look easy, but I would find out just how hard it was. I grabbed the first ledge I could get my hands on, and my feet could find nothing for at least 4 seconds. Once that was over with, I made my way up easily.

He looked at me with what I thought was a mix of approval and disbelief. I don't think he expected me to succeed on my first try, but seemed impressed that I did. "Now that you can get to the roof, navigating between buildings becomes essential. Let's make things a bit interesting. Imagine I'm your quarry, you must chase me down and stop me before I get back to the Villa." Ezio said. I nodded.

He started off, moving with grace and speed. I was right on his tail. We ran and leapt from rooftop to rooftop. He leapt to the ground and I waited until I had the perfect angle. When I took it, I leapt down on top of him and pinned him to the ground. "Got you." I said.

Ezio needed to catch his breath, but it was clear he was impressed. "Not that I'm not impressed, but would you please get off me?" He asked, gasping for breath. I released him and he got up. "Very good. When I'm through with you, you just might make Altair quiver in his boots."

"Who's Altair?" I asked.

"Altair was one of my ancestors. He was an assassin fighting off the Crusaders in the Holy Land." Ezio explained.

"Is that his armor?" I asked, pointing to his clothing.

"He never wore it, as far as we know. He… created it from a revolutionary formula that makes it very light, yet practically invincible." He explained.

"Then why didn't he make more?" I asked. It seems that this would at least make his order invincible.

"He destroyed the formula after making this suit. He didn't want it falling into the wrong hands. This is the only armor suit he ever made." His voice had a point in it of pride. "Come, there is still much more to learn." He left for another building, the apothecary. This would present more of a challenge.

The side of the wall was absolutely smooth. The exceptions were to load-bearing horizontal posts to far apart to climb. I'd have to jump. Ezio stepped up to demonstrate. Again, he was only giving me the tools. No two buildings in renaissance Italy are truly alike. "If you see this, grab the first handhold and put all your strength to your legs. Then jump up and grab the next one."

I nodded and watched him demonstrate the technique. He jumped at the first bar, then leapt an incredible 7 feet to the next and pulled himself up to the roof.

I leapt up at the first ledge and pulled up to give my legs some solid ground to work. I focused all my strength to them and I leapt up to the ledge of the roof. I grabbed on and pulled myself onto the roof. Next, there was a beam above a haystack that Ezio jumped off. I followed. Landing on my back in the haystack.

"Impressive, for your first Leap of Faith." He said.

"Is that what it's called. I thought humans called it suicide."

"Come on, we need to move to the next lesson. Before nightfall." Ezio pressed. We moved through the city to the Villa. My next lesson took place in the backyard. There, I saw dummies in various spots. There were three. One on the ground, one by a haystack, and one near the balcony's edge. Ezio was carrying a translated scroll from Altair's Codex. "Each target must be killed in the ways shown here. Read over it. To reduce suspicion, you can add your own twist on things."

He handed me the scroll and I looked at the different techniques. This would be fun. I gave the scroll back to Ezio. I set off and hid inside the haystack. I extended my sword through the hay and the dummy's head, then withdrew it and left the haystack. I began my climb to the balcony's ledge and stuck out my hidden blades. I leapt up and stabbed my blades into the dummy's neck. Then I retracted the small ones and extended the Dead Man's Hands (Lucian's name for my hidden swords.). I leapt to the ground and sliced the dummy in half midway down.

Ezio gave me a golf clap as I retracted my blades. "Impressive. Last one was a bit high-profile, but impressive. It sends a message." He said.

"What kind of message did you get from that?"

"Somewhere between 'always watch your back' and 'no mercy for the wicked.'" He said.

I shrugged. It really didn't matter now. Next, we went to the training circle where I conversed with Viktor the night before. Ezio stepped in and I took the opposite side of the arena. He drew his sword and pointed it at me. I readied my Dead Man's Hands. "The goal here is evasion. I will try to attack you 10 times, and I cannot land a single hit or you will start over."

With no warning, he swung his sword and I jumped back. He lunged and swung again and I bent back. 2 dodges. He went for my legs and I jumped up and landed behind him. 3. I put some distance between Ezio and me. He let loose with 4 throwing knives. I dodged them all. He closed in with an old Sultan's Knife and I jinked to the side. My adrenaline was pumping. 8. He tried to get me with the dagger from behind, but I dodged with a pelvic thrust. He came up with the dagger and I grabbed his wrist. I used my free arm to strike his elbow and he dropped the dagger onto the floor.

I released his hand and he got his weapon back. He coughed and stood up. "This order needs someone like you. No fear, all out. Remind me to stay on your good side." He said. "Come, it is getting late. Tomorrow we head out to Venice and you'll need your rest." I left the training circle, the full moon caught in my eye. Ezio walked inside, tired as he could be. As time went on, I've been sleeping less and less. Thoughts of my unknown past continue to haunt me.

With little choice, I took to the streets to try and clear my head. I walked through the cobblestone streets of the village. Nobody was out, but that was the more comforting part of the night. There was a street performer still outside, dancing around in a bizarre martial display.

When I asked him of this art, he said it was something called kung-fu. I continued on my way through the streets. As I walked through the night, I felt an irresistible hunger welling up from within. It had been a full week since I last fed, and I needed blood. _The apothecary! He's always got a few vials in the back. If I can just make it before I turn against my will._ I made a mad dash for the Apothecary. My nails sharpened reflexively into wicked black claws. I had to hurry. My pace increased as I was only feet away and finally I came to a halt at the counter.

"Blood. I need blood." I said, pointing to the vials in the back of his shop. As he left to get what I needed, I could feel my canine teeth sharpening inside my mouth. _Hurry up._ He grabbed a handful of vials and came back to me. I gave him a pouch of florins and ran off with them to some dark isolated corner. I uncorked and drank the blood vials one by one and tossed the empty vials aside. My body returned to it's human form as relief filled my senses.

It's not an addiction, not really. If I don't feed often enough, my body transforms involuntarily and I go into a sort of blood rage and kill until I'm satisfied. It happened with my adopted parents and I dodged a bullet here. I got up and started walking to the city entrance. I looked out at the wilderness stretched before me outside the city gates. It was always, in my mind, the most beautiful part of the country.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a horse so black it almost blended in with the night. I could tell it was of the breed Viktor rode, but the scent of the rider was unfamiliar. It wasn't Viktor, but it was certainly a vampire. He met me at the city gate and dismounted. Like Viktor, he carried an air of authority that told me he must have also been a council member. "John Ledra, I'm Andreas Tanis. We have an assignment for you." He said as he removed his hood, revealing his bright yellow eyes.

"Do you have written orders?" I asked.

"Not in writing. Viktor himself has requested your presence in the council chamber. It sounded important." he told me. Without a second thought, I ran toward the mines. It wasn't wise to keep a man like Viktor waiting. To make it faster, I put to use all of the traversal techniques I had learned that day. Moving with grace and efficiency to rival that of the feral lycans now haunting the Italian countryside. They never attacked the cities, not even at night. As if they're planning something. I dismissed the thought. If they start planning, we would all be dead, or worse, turned. I reached the edge of the city's wall and leapt over the edge that hung over the mine entrance. I touched down just in front of the mine entrance.

A strong sense of foreboding swept over me as the entrance to the mine loomed before me.

I swallowed my fear and stepped in.

I walked down the stone halls built into the mine. By the scent, I could tell the Vampires were building this for quite a while. I finally made it to the main chamber, where the Council held their meetings. However, only Viktor was Present. I approached Viktor and kneeled before him, trying to present myself as his faithful servant. "You summoned me, my lord?" I asked.

"What I am to tell you cannot leave this room. Nobody's willing to admit it, but the Lycans are actually pushing us back. We have one last trump card to play." said Viktor.

"Let me guess," I said, "me."

"Don't be ridiculous." said Viktor. "As good as you are, you are only one Death Dealer. We need another of your caliber."

"So, it's a manhunt?" I asked.

"Yes. This other Death Dealer is vital to the war effort, but insists on keeping the lycans out of Valahia."

"Do you want me to bring him here?" I asked.

"SHE needs to realize the front line has moved. The people of Valahia have to fend for themselves." So, it's an escort mission.

"When you say Valahia, you mean Walachia, right?" I asked.

"Do not mock me, Ledra. Be ready to depart as soon as you can. We cannot risk losing her. Selina… is very important to me."

"She's family, then?"

"She is the daughter of Markus. If she died, living under his reign would be utter hell."

"I will leave at once." I got up and left the mines to return to Ezio and leave news of my departure. I walked into the Villa Auditore and found Ezio as awake as ever.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have business in Walachia. Viktor needs me to secure a valuable asset across enemy lines."

"Walachia? There are a lot of Templars in Walachia. And the perfect place for your final trial." He said.

"Are you sure, sir? I've only been training for a day."

"You are ready. You've already been killing longer than I've been alive. Are familiar with Altair Ibn la Ahad?"

"He slew nine Templar lieutenants to reclaim his status during the crusades." I answered.

"Nine lives has become a new tradition. It has evolved into the Trial of the Flying One. Walachia has become home to a Templar operation it's nine heads are somewhere in the troubled region. Kill them, and you are an apprentice no more." He handed me a scroll with a list of names, each had to die. "A contact of mine from the Order's Russian chapter will meet you up there. I've sent a pidgeon letting him know of your arrival." I thanked him and ran off toward the stable master just outside the city. I chartered a carriage to take me out to Walachia, or at least tried to. I was told they could get me as far as Hungary, but I'd have to find my way to Walachia on my own. This was the start of something that would set my world on fire.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The day had finally come. I had the list of lives I had to end, all of the weapons I had been entrusted with and a full physical description of Selina herself. I was ordered to bring her back to the Council of Elders, and given that she was stubborn enough to stay in Walachia, that would not be easy. This rickety old carriage would only get me as far as Hungary. That was Balls-deep in Death Dealer territory, and home to the largest concentration of feral lycans this side of Europe.

"You've got a lot of balls coming out here. Business or pleasure?" said the driver.

"I got business in Walachia. But you'll only take me out to Hungary." The rest of the ride passed in silenced as we neared the outskirts of the capital.

"This is your stop. Get your s#!t and get out." I left the carriage and took the time to look out at the bleak horizon and grey skies.

_So this is where it all started. _I thought. _Hard to believe the first immortals were born here. What a desolate place._ I walked through the mist towards my connecting stable. Within the forests, beneath the cover of the moon, I heard the ferocious howls of the feral lycans haunting the forests. They were moving towards me, but stopped ten feet away, almost as if they know what I do for a living, and actually know fear. I was able to move to the stables undeterred.

When I reached my destination, the man outside the stables gave me the reigns to what I assumed was his fastest horse. I quickly mounted the horse and started off toward Walachia. The ride was long and uneventful until I came to a whole forest of impaled corpses. Time had not been kind and many had begun to decay, the scent assaulting my sensitive nose.

This was clearly the work of a very deranged man with way too much time on his hands. As I rode through the corpse forest, they got fresher and fresher until I noticed one that stood out and I brought my horse to a complete stop. It was a feral lycan. This must be why I hadn't seen any living in this forest. They must really hate the smell of their dead, and quite frankly, I wanted to turn around, but I had to press on. For the Order, for Selina. I brought my horse to a full gallop and hauled ass toward the Castle on the horizon.

As I rode on, I had saw a single man surrounded by seven feral lycans. From what I could tell, he was at least 6' 8". I watched with intrigue at the ensuing horror show. He took out an extremely long projectile weapon from his back and fired at the farthest of the pack. He folded and holstered the gun and pulled out a much smaller one and shot the next farthest in the head. He put his hand under his forearm in a motion I recognized as preparing a Hidden Gun shot and fired into the third lycan.

They were finally within melee range and the man pulled out a Greatsword with serrated edges on the tip. In one fluid motion, the next lycan was decapitated. One of them tried to get in behind him, but he pulled a shortsword and stabbed it. The next one leapt into the air and he gutted it with his dagger. The last one, a female, tried to pin him to the ground, but he grabbed her neck and stabbed it with a hidden blade. Her body went limp and he dropped it to the ground. He took out the long gun again, reloaded, and aimed it at me just as I got off my horse and closed the distance until the weapon was point blank aimed for my head.

"You have five."

"Put that weapon down. I was sent here on business by Ezio. Don't kill me." I closed my eyes anticipating the end, but it never came. Instead, the man before me lowered his gun.

"I know you. You're Ezios friend." I opened my eyes and his gun was on his back once more. "Come. There is much to discuss." He led me back toward the village. "I'm not going to lie. This village is doomed. The lycans come after us at night and the Ottomans come after us in the daylight. We don't have any breathing room. If Hell exists, this is it."

"I'm sure Dante would disagree. Compared to the Inferno, this sounds like paradise." The village was in shambles. The people locked in their homes and those on the screaming that God has rendered final judgment and this is our final fate.

"Dante was a madman. Earth is merely another Hell. Werewolves are its demons." We continued on until we reached what I knew by scent to be a pub. On the inside were many beleaguered villagers sheltered from the attacks. Most of them were in drunken stupors and those that weren't were close to passing out. The man who had been my companion here took me to one of the tables and motioned for me to take a seat.

I complied and he signaled the barmaid to bring two drinks our way. "You trust me to drink with you and yet I don't even know your name."

"I am Aleksander Rosenkov of Moscow. I came on behalf of the Assassin's Guild chapter there. I'm here to restore order to Walachia and to prevent the Ottomans from reaching the motherland." Our drinks arrived and he took his drink. "Nothing could have prepared us for what we found."

"What WE found?"

"I didn't come alone. I am no fool. The Guildmaster sent me with five other men. Two of them died. The other three are out with the werewolves. Mindless beasts like the rest of them." Our conversation was interrupted by the tavern's door and a young woman running in and shouting obscenities in Romanian. By her armor, I could tell she was a Death Dealer. She matched Viktor's description perfectly. 5' 8", short black hair, pale skin and bright amber eyes.

I knew that this was the one Viktor sent me for. Even in the armor she wore, she still had an odd beauty about her. She walked over to our table and took her seat beside Aleksander. "I say we just let this village burn. The Ottomans will leave us alone and we can come back later to reclaim Poenari Castle. I can't stand another day with these $$holes." She said. Aleksander decided to cut in right there.

"This is in service to the Motherland. Besides. I told you we would get paid before you return to the other Death Dealers." Suddenly, Selina became aware of my presence and looked over me, noticing the robes and armor of the Assassins Guild.

"So, who are you? One of the Assassins from Moscow returned from the dead?" she asked.

"No," I said. "I'm under Ezio Auditore's tutelage. The name's John Ledra."

"That's ****ing great. Now we got the Templars breathing down our necks?" Selina asked.

"Not yet. Only nine live here, and only nine need to die."

"So, you here to complete the Trial of the Flying One." Aleksander said. I nodded and he pulled out a few of his weapons, laying them out on the table. Of particular interest was his Greatsword, with the claw-like handguard and spike at the end of the pommel.

"Ah, you see my greatsword. It was designed by the madman that freed Scotland from the English. William Wallace. I don't know if he was a genius or a madman."

"Do all of your weapons have such history?"

"Some more than others. The shortsword I have is called a Xyphos. It was owned by Leonidas, king of the Spartans. It killed nearly half-a-million Persian immortals at the battle of Thermopylae Pass. It is one of my most prized possessions." He motioned to his gun and a special blade which looked like the blade of a Florentine halberd I had been on the receiving end of on more than one occasion. "This blade actually screws onto the rifle. I don't have to choose between a rifle and a halberd on my back."

"I see where you're coming from. I only have four blades." I revealed my hidden swords and standard hidden blades, then retracted them back into my bracers. "But they've served me well."

"Interesting." Aleksander said.

"That's the Dead Man's Hand. Lucian designed it. How'd you get it?"

"Lucian never built them," I said. "I had a friend of mine in Venice build them for me. As for the design, it was left to me on the day I was born."

"We've dealt with the first wave, but more werewolves will come soon. I'll be outside." With that, Aleksander left us alone to handle some things outside the tavern. I heard him from inside. "You, Help me with this steak. Shove it in there!" I heard a werewolf howling in pain and did not want to know why.

"Has it ever crossed your mind that you're Russian friend is as crazy as Vlad the Imapler?"

"Not really. He just has some anger issues. Explains why he impales the werewolves."

"What about the Lycans? How does he feel about them?"

"He sympathizes with them. He too was born a slave in Moscow, risen to the Czar's favor after saving his life. Me, I couldn't care either way. I kill them because I have to, not because of a personal desire for revenge. What about you? How'd you fall in with Ezio?"

"I was already used to killing, but mostly as a means of survival. I fought the Lycans in Florence to protect its people from a potential outbreak. Unfortunately, the Florentine guard didn't see things the same way I did, so I was the most wanted man in Florence for a while. I met Ezio while I was on the run from the law, and he invited me to his villa in Monteriggioni. I trained with him for a day, and he sent me here to complete the Trial of the Flying One. Even though I already have orders from Viktor to bring you back to Italia."

She stood up and stared me down. "Viktor sent you, yet you wear the garb of the Assassins guild. What the hell are you?"

"I'm a vampire, just like you. But, for some reason, the sun does not hurt me." As those words left my mouth, I realized I may have said too much. Fortunately Selina was unfazed.

"We call them daywalkers. I also happen to be one of them. I got it from Marcus Corvinus, my father. It is truly a rare gift among our kind." She walked out towards the door to the Tavern and I followed. "The next wave should be coming in soon. We have to get fighting." I followed her out to the village gates and the guards closed the gates behind us. In the glow of the full moon, I overheard the enraged snarls and howls of the werewolf hoard. I extended my blades and Aleksander screwed the halberd blade into the barrel of his gun. Selina drew her twin kilij swords just as the horde's vanguard came over the horizon.

Fifty others came behind the Vanguard and as they charged, I noticed something odd about the leader. He was clad in the robes of the Assassins Guild. This was one of Aleksanders men. We charged to meet their assault head on. Knowing what I did, that werewolves never fight without the leader, I tried to engage the former Assassin. I tried to throw him off guard with one of my throwing knives. While he was dodging, I tried to land a strike with my blades, but I only cut him. He leapt at me and I leapt back and out of the way. I charged him again and sliced at his ankle, severing his foot from his body.

As he writhed in pain, I felt pity not for the beast, but the man within. But in this case, I would set free another soul corrupted by the werewolves' curse. In one clean motion, I slit the creature's throat and watched him bleed out. I muttered a short prayer for the man and threw myself back into the battle to find Aleksander and Selina driving back the horde. Aleksander was absolutely brutal with the Halberd and Selina moved through the ranks chopping the werewolves in half by the scores. Suddenly, they turned tail and retreated towards their point of origin.

That's when Aleksander called to me. "Ledra! Get on your horse and follow them. We'll handle the damage control!" I quickly mounted my horse and took off to follow what remained of the horde back to where they came from. As I came to the end of the hill, my worst fears were confirmed. The Lycans themselves were residing in Poenari Castle, home to Walachia's greatest leader. I had to tell Selina, and rally the villagers to take action. I rode on back to the Village, praying that we could bring an end to at least one of Walachia's problems.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When I returned to the village, it was dawn. The villagers were coming out of their homes to look on and saw minimal devastation compared to what they had endured already. In the midst of their celebrations, I was able to sneak through the crowds in search of Selina. I found her in an alley, trying to avoid prying eyes. "I've found out where they're hiding," I said. "Their den lies within Poenari Castle. We can strike at them in daylight and cleanse this land."

"John… why are you risking it all for this little village? Selflessly throwing yourself against the most dangerous creatures ever to walk this earth?" she asked.

"Nobody should have to suffer when it is not called for. Hell and earth must be…" I was cut off as she threw herself on me in a tender embrace. She looked up at my eyes and we shared a tender kiss in the shadows. I broke off and sent her out to rally whoever she could and have them meet me in the town square. I went to the center of town and when Selina returned, she was leading a large part of Vlad's military and a few battle-hardened villagers.

They all looked up at me, ready to hear me speak. "Followers of the Impaler, we stand a broken nation. Attacked from all sides by those we sought to destroy. I ask now for your time and effort to make a difference. On this day, those driven to destroy us, will hear our voice! We shall rebuild this region! We shall rebuild our strength, our honor, and our pride! We will strike, without mercy or warning! Fighting as one hand, one heart, one soul. And as our last breath tears at their lungs, as we rise again from the ruins of Walachia, Our enemies will know Walachia belongs to CHRISTENDOM!"

The crowd erupted into a thunderous roar, I had them hanging on my every word. "We move out now to face the enemy and we will show them that Walachia will never be taken!" I got onto my horse and lead the charge to Poenari Castle. We came upon the castle gates and Selina began to climb up the gate and into the castle itself. A few minutes later, the gates finally opened and we charged inside. I dismounted my horse and drew my blades. To our dismay, the main hall was empty. However, I picked two mixed scents. The scents of werewolves mixed with strong alcohol. "Men, we shall burn the larder and the sleeping demons with it!"

Before we could get to the Larder, our path was blacked by thirty Templar knights. "Join me, soldiers. Spill the blood of these heretics. Their souls are already lost!" We charged toward the Templars and a brief but bloody battle ensued. I ducked and weaved through the Templar force, killing them left and right while my army kept them distracted. Not one of my men was lost that day. Aleksander charged into the larder in a drunken rage, throwing flaming bottles every which way. The fires spread quickly and nothing was spared. As the halls filled with smoke, my priorities changed instantly. I didn't have time to scold Aleksander. I had to find Mihnea the Wrongdoer, if I had any hope of restoring order to the embattled region. I raced through the castle halls and shifted into my wolf-state.

I finally came upon Mihnea's room and threw him onto my back. I quickly flew him out to the village and returned to my human state. I ran off to the town square to find the villagers returning in triumph and Selina dragging up the rear, carrying the towering Russian. "Nice," she said. "We can save the town but not spare a thought for poor Selina. **** Walachia!" I quickly ran over to help her with the Russian. He was heavy as all hell, even on the side I was lifting. We decided, rather than hauling his drunken ass to the inn, we would just leave him in the town square and reintroduce him to reality when he woke up.

"Alright, Selina. you were in Poenari Castle the longest. Did any of the Templar's get out?"

"Just one. Can't be hard to miss. He was still covered in the blood of his friends." she said. Against my better judgment, I decided I would try and awaken the drunken Russian and see if he saw anything. I ran out to the well and filled up a bucket of cold water. I brought it over to Selina and we poured the bucket onto him, hoping to rouse him.

Almost immediately, he awoke with a start. "Curse you for breathing you slack-jawed idiot!"

"Aleksander," I said. "It's us. I was hoping you might have seen where that other templar ran off to."

"Fuck off and leave me be. Find him for yourself." With that he passed out once more and Selina and I decided we'd head to the tavern and get plastered…within reason, of course. We went in and sat at the same table where we first met. For some reason, the tavern here actually carried blood and in some cases, mixed them in with their drinks. I guess they get a lot of vampire patrons, or it was under Vlad's decree.

We sat there for a while, just staring into one another's eyes. Selina was taken aback slightly. No doubt, she saw the kind of internal fury all lycans possessed, or something else. In hers, I noticed she was calm and serene, but those eyes had seen numerous atrocities while serving Vlad. My focus was broken when I heard the door swing open and the sound of a man walking in and the clink clink clink of his chainmail armor. My mind thought only one thing: _Templar_ I got up and looked around to see him seated at the bar.

I made my way over to him and the scent of the cheap liquor on his breath was overpowering. I sat next to him and I swear I could get drunk smelling him. "Got a lot on your mind?"

"You have no idea. All my brethren dead at Poenari Castle by the hands of a sword-armed madman." When he turned to look at me, his eyes went wide with rage. "It was YOU! You bastard! You'll see everyone you've ever loved dead by my hand!" I quickly stabbed him in the back with the hidden blade, his blood showing through the red cross on his tabard. Everyone was looking at us, so I had to think of justification.

"He was an emissary of the Ottoman Empire. He had to die." Everyone turned back to whatever it was they were doing and I made my way back to Selina. "I have to get back to my teacher in Italia. Have you accomplished everything you needed to accomplish?"

"I have. Is Viktor really so concerned that he sent you?"

"He's a smug pretentious asshole, but he cares about you. Besides, the Coven needs your help. Italia is only getting more overrun by these Lycan sleeper cells."

"If I leave this place, I do it for you, not Viktor. He and I never saw eye to eye." With that, we both got up and left toward the edge of the town. We found that the native Walchians had prepared a carriage to take us wherever we wanted to go. We were given a hero's farewell with everyone cheering. We got inside the carriage and we started off toward Villa Auditore. Suddenly, I heard a loud thud as someone leapt onto the roof.

Then another and the roof sounded as though it was in danger of collapsing. When I looked through I saw three severed heads dangling from the side. When I looked up through the window I beheld a massive Lycan, about nine feet tall and clad in the clothing of our Russian friend. "sorry," it said. "Had to deal with a few bandits."

"Jesus, Rosenkov, why are you following us? Italy has nothing for you."

"That may be, but there is nothing for you in Monteriggione!" Before I could respond, Aleksander was gone. I got back in the carriage and turned to face Selina.

"Holy $#!7. The Russian's a Lycan." I said. Selina however was unfazed.

"Actually, it all makes perfect sense now." She said.

"Are you going to kill him, too?"

"No. He is an independent. Lucian holds no sway over him. After fighting with him for just three weeks, I'd rather not risk a scuffle, let alone a duel to the death."

"And I don't know what I would do if I lost you." The carriage ride to Monteriggione took us another week, with stops for food and rest. When we got there, we looked on in horror at the city burning in the night. We got out and found the city in ruins. When we walked in further, I saw a note on the gates. A group called the Borgia had lain siege to the city. Even worse, they had a full-body picture of me and a kill on sight warning. I had to reinvent myself to survive.

When I crossed the threshold into the ruined city, I noticed Aleksander in the shadows. "I told you." he said. "By the way, I found this coat. Tattered as al hell, but it should alter your image." I quickly took it and shed all the clothing on my upper body. When I put the coat on, I found that it only had the right sleeve and the tails only came to knee length, tattered remnants of a dead Assassin. I moved toward the blacksmith's old store and found some very strange armor.

The shoulder piece was sharp and angular much like the rest of it, but the smith only crafted the right arm. The armguard fit perfectly over my blade mechanism. The elbow pad was equally angular, a lethal weapon in its own right. Next, the gauntlet that covered each finger and my thumb individually. It was all connected to a hardened leather vest, over which I wore my Guild seal belt. Finally, the leg gaurds and sabatons. They shared the angular properties of my other pieces and they fit like a glove. The final touch, a smear of blood over my face curving around my nose.

Selina looked on in approval and Aleksander smiled to himself. "So, a new image, but what about a name. They'll be looking for John Ledra."

"No," I said "that man is dead. It's Cornell Belmont, the Shadow of the Crimson Moon." I looked back to Selina. "Where the hell do we go now?"

"Funny you should ask," she said. "We've got a man in Tuscany who might be able to point us in the right direction. I think you might be a fan."

"I probably don't know him."

"But you know his work. I'm sure he'll be willing to help us." Rather than let her spoil the surprise, I decided we would be better if she showed me. We mounted a couple of horses and rode off into the dark forests surrounding the ruined village. How can I say how dreary and cold a place it was that hell itself would be but little worse.

After what seemed like an eternity, we came upon a small cottage. Selina turned to look at me with a glint in her eye. "The man who lives here was set to take Tanis's place as chronicler, but he was adamant in his refusal." She went up to knock on the door and it actually came down in front of her as a man carrying a very large scythe ran out yelling. He closed the distance wicked fast and took a swing at me, but I ducked under and tried to rush him. I couldn't tell who he was, but I knew that Cornell was ready to draw his first blood.

Just as I extended my blades, I heard Selina speak. "Why try to strike him down? Does he look like the duke of Florence who ordered your exile?" Then, he jumped back and dropped his weapon. Then, I put the two pieces together. _Florence_, _Exile_. I did know this man's work!

"Dante Alighieri? He's a Death Dealer?"

"Not officially. He's gone a bit crazy since he can't follow his beloved. He converted with light sensitivity and can't travel far."

"It is a fate worse than death itself." he said "To be so far from my beloved. I haven't heard from her since she left for Roma and I fear the worst. If that is so, there is no greater torment that being unable to die."

"Maybe you can help us. I'm looking for a friend of mine, Ezio Auditore."

"The son of the banker. He came not too long ago. He was riding north with a wounded shoulder. Not sure how much farther he'll make it. You'll want to hurry if you'll catch him alive." Selina and I made our way north and Dante yelled out to me. "If you see Beatrice, tell her only that I am dead. Ease her suffering."

When we reached a forest clearing, I noticed a small carriage being driven by our Russian friend. "Nonstop service to Roma. Climb aboard."

"You have this uncanny ability to show up when you're most needed." I felt I just had to say that. Selina and I climbed into the carriage and we made our way out to Rome. Through the window out the corner of my eye, I spotted something. A horse formation of about 9 people. I had heard Viktor tell a tale or two of the 9 death dealers who cannot die. I imagine they're daywalkers, like Selina. The carriage sped up, I assumed Rosenkov was aware of their presence and that they might be after him. In this haste, the carriage struck a rock and began to fly through the air, buffeting me and Selina about.

When we got out of the wreckage of impact, we noticed that we were close to the gates of Rome. In the distance, I saw Aleksander trying to fight the horsemen on foot. "Go," he said. "I can handle these men. Find Ezio, you owe him that much!" One of the horses charged at him and he cut off its legs with his greatsword. I took Selina by the hand and we ran for the gates into the city. That was the last time we saw Rosenkov for many centuries, not knowing his final fate. Here in Rome, me and Selina would hopefully end this bloody war. Wishful thinking, as I would discover all too soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Roma, city of the false and lying gods. Much of its former civilization lies in ruins or occupied by present day Italians struggling under the oppressive yolk of the Borgia. Their mere presence here is a grievous insult to the legacy of Julius Caesar. As Selina and I wandered through the streets, I could tell the natives looked on us with resentment and fear. It was in this city that I swore to forge the Legend of Cornell, to drive the Borgia into perpetual fear.

"We should look for Beatrice. She might help your legend spread." Selina said.

"Before it can spread, it must first be forged." Just then, a thief skillfully took my money pouch and ran off. "Son of a bitch! Go find Beatrice if you can." I ran off after the thief, running from the ground to the rooftops using all the freerunning training I had gained from Ezio. Just before I caught him, another man stopped him on the ground and took back my pouch. I jumped down from the roof to meet him.

"La Volpe can be a bit too eager. I believe this belongs to you." He tossed me my pouch and I pocketed it quickly.

"Thanks umm…."

"Antonio. Antonio Margeretti. I can tell you're a newcomer. Roma is not kind to newcomers. Florentine if I'm not mistaken."

"I was born in Florence, but I left it behind."

"I run the Thieves Guild here. Anything you need to know about Roma, you can ask me."

"I'm looking for a woman named Beatrice. Tell me where to find her."

"She works in the apothecary near the Coliseum. She fills her days making poisons…and cake. Whatever you do, don't try the cake."

"Noted. Any good places to snag a quick drink?"

"There is a bar in the guild's headquarters. We also have space for you to sleep, provided you don't mind sharing it with the woman who came with you."

"Wait, were you watching me?" As soon as I had finished speaking he was gone. I made my way back to locate Selina. When I got near the city gates, I noticed she was already heading for the Thieve's Guild. I followed her from a distance until we came to the refurbished building that was home to Roma's thieves. When I walked in, I found her at the bar, getting thoroughly plastered, barely sitting up. I decided to try a bit of wine for myself. Despite not being able to eat human food, their drinks don't bother me.

After about six glasses, Everything became a blur and I eventually blacked out. When I woke up, I was in bed, naked. When I looked in front of me I saw Selina, naked as well, our clothes and armor at the foot of the bed. One thought came to my mind. _Oh, shit! What the hell did I just do?_ I answered my own question. _Oh, her. Viktor's gonna kill me._ Her eyes slowly opened and she screamed. She got out of the bed and quickly got dressed. "What the hell did we do?" She put on her armor and holstered her weapons. I got out and put on everything I brought with me, including my armor.

"I don't want to know. I mean I wanted to, but not like this." As the words left my mouth, I regretted them instantly.

"What…Eeww!"

"Wait, I meant to say that…" She struck me across the face. It hurt, almost worse than my hangover. "Damnit, I love you. There I said it." Suddenly, I heard a voice behind.

"You don't talk to girls very often, do you?" I turned around and saw Ezio, seemingly back from the dead.

"Never had time. Like you, I kill for a living."

"Congratulations on the Trial of the Flying One. How was Aleksander?"

"He's… I don't think he made it. Last I saw, he was fighting Viktor's men. An elite group known as the Nine who Can't Die."

"He has a reason to live. He's harder to kill than you think. You'll see him again, John. Worry not." Said Ezio.

"It's Cornell, now. Cornell Belmont. The Borgia will not be looking for me by that name." After Selina left the building, I noticed Antonio coming into the barracks.

"Damnit, Belmont! What did you do?"

"No comment. I need to go talk to her. Excuse me." I ran outside the guild house to find Selina sitting near the river's edge. "Look… I'm sorry I did that. I was drunk and…"

"It's alright," she said. "La Volpe told me I was the one that seduced you. I'm upset because I was too drunk to enjoy myself." I silently thanked the Lord that she was so forgiving of me. "We should probably find Beatrice. Ezio can't conscript you to the guild until the moon rises. You're in luck, it'll be a blood moon." She got up and we made our way to the Coliseum to find the apothecary where Beatrice supposedly worked.

When we came to the stand, she was handing out cake to the Borgia guards. There was actually a line. Either her cake was actually good, or these guards were idiots lining up to die. Our turn came up and she greeted me with a smile.

"hmm. A Florentine mercenary? Want some cake?" she asked.

"In that order, yes and god, no. I bring news that you may not want to hear. Your beloved Dante… is dead. Felled by roaming Borgia soldiers. I'm sorry for your loss." Suddenly, her expression changed from a radiant smile to a look of sorrow and dread.

"I see. Did he die quickly?" she asked.

"Without pain, as he would have wished." I watched Beatrice turn away and tears streamed from her eyes. "He wouldn't want you wallowing in self pity. Live your life, die by the sword if you must." She finally turned to look at me.

"He didn't deserve such a fate. He was a good man and a brilliant poet. Did you know him?" she asked me.

"I know his deeds, but not the man he was. Can you believe that in my youth, I wished to be a poet? All I ever knew was violence." When I said this, she looked up at my eyes she was speechless. Selina approached her and tried to talk to her.

"Messer Belmont is probably trying to say that you should make something more of your life. Go to the thieves' guild; seek out a man named Ezio. He can give you purpose." Beatrice left her stand and ran off. "We still have some time until your conscription. What should we do now?" Suddenly, I was overcome by an intense thirst. Not for wine or water, but blood. I could feel the warning signs of an impending violent transformation.

"Wait here. I need to feed." I ordered. I left her and ran off, following the all too familiar stench of the Borgia. One of the usurpers would do nicely. I was in luck. One of them was patrolling the rooftops. I clamored up the wall and hung over the ledge, waiting for him to wander close. I felt his feet brush against my fingers and I leapt up onto the roof, pinning the archer. In an instant, I bit deep into his jugular, drinking the sweet blood from a man who's innocence has long since faded.

I ended my feeding when I realized that he had another man with him on patrol. His knees buckled and he could not move, frozen in fear. I got up and kicked his comrade's body over the edge. I approached the other archer and I could tell he was on the verge of fainting. "Your men are sinning against god in the name of a false prophet. Tell your friends that their days are numbered. The Lord has sent an angel of darkness to bring your empire to it's knees. Be ready for the storm." I leaned in close and whispered into his ear. "No one will be spared. Tell your pope that Cornell Belmont is coming after him." I stood up and ran off back to Selina.

She was waiting near the blacksmith's shop. We passed the rest of the day seeing the many sights that Rome had to offer. There was once a great empire here and it baffles me that it was all started by two brothers raised by a wolf. The night came faster than I anticipated and the crimson moon rose high into the sky. A fire burned atop one of the Borgia's watchtowers. I made my way towards it and quickly climbed to the top. Ezio and La Volpe were both there to greet me for the conscription. I stood before the flame, my gauntlet removed and my eyes closed. The ritual involved a series of questions to which I answered "nothing is truth, everything is permitted."

I opened my eyes and the two assassins grabbed my wrists and each took a hot piece of metal to one of my ring fingers. The agony was indescribable and it was close to triggering my transformation reflex, but fortunately, I held it back. The pain subsided quickly and I put my gauntlet back on. The night was still young, and I had a legend to forge. I leapt off of the tower and landed in a hay bale. I stepped out and quickly ran into the shadows to transform into my vicious altered form. When my change was complete, I flapped my powerful wings and took off to the rooftops, the full crimson moon behind me.

I happened across a patrol of Borgia enforcers wandering the streets, a symbol of fear, oppression and tyranny. As I stalked them from the rooftops, I could overhear one of them mumbling about some "angel of darkness". I extended my blades and descended upon them, slaughtering all but one, who was praying for his life. "Heavenly father forgive me of all my sins, but let me live so that I may honor thy name."

"Your prayers are meaningless." I told him in a low and menacing tone. "If God wanted you to live, he wouldn't have created ME." I came just inches before him and grabbed him by the throat, holding him above the ground as his prayers became more frantic. In one swift motion, I decapitated him with my bladed wings and let his remains drop to the ground. "No mercy exists for those who sin beneath the full crimson moon." I turned my back on the carnage I had wrought and stretched out my wings to take flight beneath the blood moon at my back. With a flap of my wings, I was airborne again, set to wreak havoc on the Borgia's chain of command.

I flew from tower to tower, ending the lives of whoever controlled them so that rebels and other factions could burn them to the ground. The whole night continued on like this. And when the dawn had finally come, the oppressive reign of the Borgia was drawing to a close. It was a tiring endeavor, but I felt I had earned a good days rest. I reverted to human form and went back to my little room in the Thieves' Guild and saw Selina waiting for me with a wide and radiant smile that could guide ships to port.

"Roma has risen up to destroy it's oppressors. I don't know how you did it…" She threw herself onto me in a loving embrace. "but you managed to liberate yet another embattled region." Her grip grew tighter almost like a vice. "Even Viktor would be proud to have you fighting for him." I managed to get her to release me a little bit.

"I can't sit idle while innocents are made to suffer unjustly. I need to turn in. It's been a long night and I am dead tired." Fortunately, she had let me go and I collapsed on the bed. The next night was one I remember well. It was this night that my world was turned upside-down.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When I awoke that night I had wandered outside the Thieves' Guild and beneath the light of the full moon, had transformed into my vicious altered form. With a flap of my wings I had taken off high above the city and began to survey the damage I had done the night before. Fires sprang up all over Rome as the last of the Borgia's watchtowers burned to the ground. I decided it was safe to lower my altitude and fly between the buildings. Nobody ever came out at night anymore. It used to be because of the Borgia's curfew, but now it was the Borgia, as well as the civilians, who stayed inside when the sun had set.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two figures; a man and woman. Rather than get a closer look, I followed them towards as they moved toward the Coliseum.

(OOC note: the following is from Sonja's point of view.)

As I walked through the streets of Rome, I knew that the fires were a result of the actions of the one I'm looking for. I understood that I was risking everything to be here. But, it didn't matter. I knew he was here. And if I died for the chance to see my son, at least I would die happily. Lucian had constantly insisted we keep moving north, but he may not realize that our child could not only be alive, but a hero. When we moved through Walachia, we heard mention of a flying wolf demon that had saved the life of the local lord. The account came from the lord himself.

When I heard it, I knew our child had been there. We tracked down many leads and rumors to get here. Now that we made it, I knew he was close. Despite his protests that we move up north, Lucian never left my side throughout the journey. The center of the ancient Coliseum was a good place to look, but it was empty. Not a living soul was there. Lucian drew his sword as we moved further in. That's when I saw the threat he perceived. A man in white robes and steel armor approached us with his sword drawn. Lucian shoved me to the ground and closed the distance to dispatch his enemy.

As I watched the battle, Lucian had taken numerous blows that to a normal human would be fatal. He was losing a lot of blood and collapsed. The hooded stranger raised his blade and just before he brought it down on Lucian, I threw myself on top of him so that he could live. I took the full force of the blade and the hooded man fled. Lucian ran in the opposite direction as I lay bleeding in the shadow of the false and lying gods.

(OOC note: We're back to our hybrid's viewpoint)

I watched the ensuing scene with shock and horror. I quickly descended into the center of the Coliseum and when I had made it, the woman was lying in a pool of her own blood. I knelt down beside her and turned her body upwards. When I looked into her eyes, I noticed she still had some life left in her. She reached her hand up and stroked the side of my wolven face. "It IS you. My child." I recognized her face now from my earliest memories.

"Mother?"

"Yes. It's me. Don't you remember?" she was breathing heavily between words.

"Just hang in there. I can get you to an apothecary… I can help you."

"No… it's my time."

"Who did this to you?"

"I didn't see his face. But I know who sent him. It was Viktor. Your birth was… a travesty that earned me the death mark. When he heard I was in Rome, the Assassin's Guild must have…." As she said this, tears streamed down my face. "You have learned your father's ways. All the best parts of him live on through you. He is not the monster he's made out to be. I couldn't be prouder to have brought you into the world."

"I know what the humans called me. But what was the name intended for me?"

"Your father gave you a strong name. For his oldest friend inside the coven. Te…." She died right there in my arms. Blood loss had taken a nasty toll. I had gone for many years without ever knowing my mother. To finally meet her only to have her die in my arms felt like a white hot blade had been driven through my heart. My sadness and rage was soon known by all of Rome. The night sky was filled by my mournful howls. A deafening chorus of werewolf howls joined in, as if sympathetic to my suffering.

I had part of the puzzle. My mother WAS a vampire. I lifted her body and carried her through the streets. The rooftops were lined with Assassins, bowing their heads in respect. None of that mattered to me. My mother was murdered and the man responsible is still out there. Her soul cannot rest until he is dead. When I came upon the Thieves' Guild, Selina was standing outside waiting for me. When she saw the body in my arms, she recognized it immediately. "No," she said, "Not Sonja. What did she ever do to you?"

"Nothing. This wasn't my work. It was a member of the Assassin's Guild." We walked inside and I laid my mother's body on one of the empty beds. "She didn't deserve such a fate."

"Was she…close to you?"

"She was my mother. I only just met her today."

"Then you're…"

"I didn't want you to find out like this, but yes. I am the abomination that was the result of comingling the bloodlines." I closed my eyes, allowing myself to become the vicious flying werewolf that had killed off the Borgia's chain of command. When I opened my eyes, my transformation was complete. She had finally seen my true form.

"You take more after your father. This must be why you aren't hurt by the sun." She looked me up and down, taking in my inhuman features. "To think something so beautiful is so hated." She said with approval.

"You don't see this as a travesty?"

"More of an impossibility, but there's no reason you SHOULDN'T exist. You have a gift, whether you know it or not."

"My conception started a war, Selina."

"Sonja wouldn't want you feeling sorry for yourself."

"We'll arrange a funeral in the morning. I owe her that much." When I got a closer look at the body, I saw something that she no-doubt held quite close to her heart. A gold pendant with a small emerald gemstone in the center. Seeing no harm, I took it off of her neck as a memento, a reminder of the mother I never knew. Selina saw me take it, but rather than protest, she approved.

"She'd want you to have it." We took my mother's body to the coroner that night. However, he was closed. "I guess we'll have to do it ourselves. There's a mausoleum beneath the Coliseum. We can leave her there for centuries until we need to move the body." I nodded and we made our way out to the Coliseum. The passage beneath was fortunately clear and we were able to reach the bowels of this ancient battleground. Further down, there was a whole necropolis of dead gladiators that fought here in the days of the empire.

I had found an open stone casket and deftly placed my mother's body within. Selina looked up at me and said "Should we… say a few words for her?" I nodded. "Defiant, loving, loyal. These are just a few words describing Sonja. Her legacy lives on in the miracle she brought into this world. To her people she was a traitor. But to me and to her son, she was more than that. She gave her life to protect her miracle. May God welcome her with open arms, to his divine paradise."

"Well spoken, Selina." I closed the casket and we made our way back to the surface. The sun was beginning to rise. I reverted to my human form to avoid scaring the villagers. And any chance of finding Viktor that day vanished. I decided now was as good a time as any to look for Aleksander's body. I ran out to the gates with Selina following close behind. When we reached the city gates, there was no sign of any remains. He was either alive, or the Nine who Can't Die moved his body elsewhere. We made our way to the Thieves' Guild, our home in the holy city of Rome. I walked up to the bar and found Ezio waiting for me.

"Why the long face, brother?" he asked.

"My mother was murdered last night by a member of the Assassin's Guild. You have no reason to feel concern."

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry. If it's any consolation, I never would have let him on the contract if I'd known."

"I appreciate that but it's too late. I'm going to need your help. I need you to have Antonio arrange a meeting. Tonight, in the Coliseum." I scribbled on a piece of parchment the name of the individual and what to tell him. He took a look at the name and raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't he the one who sent you to Walachia?"

"He's also the bastard who signed my mother's death warrant."

"I'll contact Antonio to arrange a meeting." Ezio sighed. I went back to my room to find Selina standing there.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"I'm avenging Sonja's death tonight. I'm going to confront Viktor, get some answers, and then I'm going to kill him."

"You don't have to do this! As powerful as you are he's far older and stronger than you think."

"Which is why the element of surprise is crucial. I've got it all worked out. Who does he hate more than anyone else?"

"Lucian. He would always say sparing him was a mistake." That's when I filled her in on the plan. She approved whole-heartedly. Perhaps she hated Viktor more than she let on. I knew that if I failed, she would be branded a traitor and I would be dead. Since that may have been our last night together and that we were both sober, we made love for what we thought was the last time.

The night had come and we were ready to make that bastard pay for his crime. We went out to the Colliseum where we would wait for Viktor to show up. I transformed smoothly into my hybrid form and waited in the shadows while Selina stood in plain sight. When Viktor arrived she showed him the utmost respect. "My friend in the Thieves' Guild tells me Lucian is here, in Roma."

"The rumors are true, my lord. I have captured him alive so you may kill him yourself. He waits in the shadows, bound in chains." I watched him draw closer to me.

"You have done well, Selina. Your father, Markus , would be proud. Leave us." Selina vacated the Coliseum, leaving me and Viktor alone. "So, you think you can get away with taking advantage of my hospitality. Corrupting my daughter." That's when I sprang from the shadows and checked him against the wall, revealing what I truly was.

"I want answers, bastard. A woman, my mother was killed in your name by an Assassin. Who was she?" he was stunned briefly by the gravity of the situation. Here he was, face to face with the creature he viewed as so alien a travesty that he would have killed his own kind to prevent it's creation, but he wasn't afraid.

"Sonja. She ran off with a lycan dog and then she had you. She was a traitor and deserved to die." He managed to free himself from my grip and charged at me with his sword. I extended my blades and redirected his blow, then spun around and elbowed him square in the gut. "I curse the day my bride gave her life to bring your mother into this world!"

"You killed your own DAUGHTER? You BASTARD!" He dashed backwards and I tossed a throwing knife at him, but he dodged it skillfully and Came at me again. I parried each of his blows and when I redirected his next slash, his sword went flying in the opposite direction. And stuck itself into the ground, directly above Sonja's unmarked grave. From then on, it became a bare-knuckle brawl.

He put all his power behind his right fist, but when he delivered his punch, I dodged, forcing him to overstep. When his back was to me, I elbowed him in the spine with my unarmored arm and slashed across his face with my left wing. When he regained his footing, his legs were wide open. I seized the opportunity to deliver a bone-shattering kick to his family jewels. When he was stunned, I tackled him to the ground and held my hidden blade to his throat. "Now… you have five seconds to justify your life."

"I was only trying to protect my species. Your life is a stain on my familial line, just like your mother!" I tried to summon the will to dispatch him right there, but no something held me back. "What are you waiting for? You have me down, defenseless. Finish me. FINISH ME!" I retracted my hidden blade and pulled out a the Dagger I got from Walachia with a cross-like handle and dual edge. I brought it down hard, but I had stabbed it into the ground directly beside Viktor's head.

"Death would be the easy way out," I growled. "You don't deserve it. The guilt will live in you like a disease knowing you condemned your own daughter to death." I retrieved my dagger and walked out of the Coliseum, leaving Viktor with the shame of having been defeated by a living travesty.

"You can't run forever!" he shouted. "There will be nowhere in Italy for you to hide!"

"Let them come. They'll never find me!"

"They'll NEVER stop looking!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

June 6th, 1692. I've left Italy behind me long ago when I moved to England. After nearly two centuries living there under the Belmont surname, I heard that the Puritans had set up shop in the new world. I didn't hesitate to join them. I've been living in the small town of Salem for a few years at that time, and I liked it there. Far from the crowded cities of England. There was a strong sense of community in Salem. Everyone knew each other. I was going under the name Gabriel Belmont, which most attributed to the angel and the high places of the world. I've been living as a hunter for the village in the daylight hours, but at night, I was a privateer captain.

It was hard to keep in contact with Selina, but we managed. She went back to Walachia shortly after I left Italy, trying to restore honor and order to the region as Minea the Wrongdoer's most trusted general. When Minea finally died, she took over and ruled the region. The people prospered under her rule, and all of the regions enemies were too afraid of its "vampire queen" to try to invade. It came with a price, however. Death Dealers patrol the streets every night in search of lycans or other threats. The idea of living as King-Consort of Walachia wasn't worth losing my head over.

How'd I get there? Okay, back to MY story. I had just come back from the harbor after a successful raid on a Catholic merchant ship. Many people in the village could now eat freely of the meats we had attained. My ship, Sonja's Lament, was fast, quiet, and lethal in a fight. The full moon was high upon the night sky and I decided to head into the forest. Through proper care and maintenance, my armor had lasted nearly two centuries and so have my blades. However, I now wore a black longcoat OVER the rest of the armor, except the menacing right arm.

I bathed myself in the moon's white glow, transforming into what I come to know as my "true" form. My features altered into the vicious creature I knew myself to be inside. My enhanced hearing picked up unusual chants coming from the neighboring forests. As I got closer, I could smell burning wood and I could hear some of the village girls chanting in strange, almost demonic tongues. When I got close enough, I even recognized some of the girls. Historians still debate their ages while I alone know the truth. Their "leader" was a 15-year-old blonde with skin almost as pale as Selina's. Abigail Williams. Could she really be a witch? She was with some others. Younger girls, a village servant, and her cousin Betty Parris.

I watched far enough away to remain unseen, but close enough that I could intervene at any time. The flames rose higher obscuring their faces. Abigail led the chants again and I heard the unmistakable clucks of a chicken cut short. I can only imagine what happened, but then I heard her speak something in English. "Spirits of the Inferno, Followers of Lucifer I summon thee!" On that cue, I climbed up one of the trees just behind the flame. I leapt out and landed behind them, letting out a demonic roar as I did so.

"What brings me from the City of Dis?" I asked.

"I bring you from your home!" said Abigail while her friends cowered in terror. "I have summoned you here for a purpose."

"You dare Summon Malecoda, Lord of the Malebranche, General of the fallen?"

"I dare. I have a task for you to complete. You were brought here to make John Proctor fall for me."

"Demons have no sway over feelings like love, but many in Paradise owe me favors." I pulled out a blank book obtained from an earlier raid in which I have named many famous sinners from biblical stories and Dante's writings. "Sign in this book and I MAY grant your wishes, but let it be known that you have made a deal with Lucifer through me. WHEN you die, I will drag you soul to the deepest, coldest circle of the Inferno." She signed her name under the last signature I "collected", Judas Iscariot. "It is done, but you have sold me your soul, and I WILL come for it soon." I flapped my wings with sufficient force to extinguish the flames.

I flew off back to my home to prepare for the next day. That's when things started to go to hell. I woke up and got dressed, forsaking the armor for the day. I went to church with the rest of the villagers but I noticed that Betty was nowhere to be found. When everyone left I heard whisperings that two of the village girls were asleep since they came home, and would not wake. Betty was one of the afflicted. She slept almost eternally. I thought it was from the shock of my masquerade as Malecoda, but I wouldn't say that. I followed Betty's parents and the renowned Dr. Griggs into the Parris household, seeking answers myself.

I was the last to enter, and Dr. Griggs had already ascended the stairs to check on the girls. "Gabriel," said Goody Paris, "What brings you here?"

"I'm concerned for your daughter. She was not in church this morning and I fear for her soul." When I finished speaking, Dr. Griggs returned from the Betty's room. "What's the prognosis, doctor?"

"No known natural illness could be the cause of this. I fear she may sleep eternally."

"Could it be, doctor that we must look to unnatural causes to her affliction?" I asked.

"Have you seen such things in your adventures, Gabriel?"

"I have read of it in the works of Dante. This seems to happen whenever a mortal comes in contact with one of the Malebranche. But I don't know of any in the Village capable of summoning such a demon."

Just then, the Reverend and the Putnam family, the second most influential members of Salem, entered the house. When the group and I began the psalms, I heard stirring from the room upstairs. At the mention of Jesus, I heard Betty screaming and she awoke. I ran up with the Reverend to make sure she was safe. Fortunately, she was fine, but she was breathing heavily and struggling to catch her breath. "Christ, calm thyself, child." I ordered, but she kept her ears covered.

"She refuses to hear the lord's name." said the reverend. "I fear she may be bewitched. Let's hope Reverend Hale comes soon." When I got close enough, I remembered that the Reverend's daughter was one of the girls I had scared the night before. The Reverend's reputation was very much on the line here. She wrested free from our group and ran toward the window. I ran downstairs and outside, to catch the girl if she leapt. She jumped, and my quick reflexes managed to save her.

As much as I pitied this girl, I could do nothing for her. I listened closely as her friends gathered around. In the distance, I heard a carriage rolling in that must have belonged to Reverend Hale. I heard him approach the crowd and I set Betty down gently. And as soon as hail approached, inquiring as to the witches, all of the girls began spouting out random names, trying to deflect the blame away from themselves. Until Betty muttered Titubas name. I decided to join Hale as he made his way to the Williams' house.

Hale told me to bring Tituba outside for interrogation. I burst in through the door and dragged her out. If she was indeed a witch, I could not show sympathy. I tossed her at Hales feet. His interrogations were gentler than my handling of her. Eventually she broke down and confessed. "Devil is pleasure-man in Barbados. It's too cold for demons here. When Malecoda came, he collected many to his service."

The other girls broke down and finally confessed that they had signed in the devils book. They knew it would be okay if they confessed. It was the next day that the trials finally began. I was there long enough to observe the pattern. Spectral evidence was a favorite tool of the girls to condemn innocent men and women. It wasn't until the next day that they came for me. The trial, oddly enough was the perfect way to get revenge. When they were ready to start their spectral evidence routine, I triggered my transformation reflex. Making it deliberately slow and painful, leaving out the wings to avoid being recognized from the night before.

"Do you see, judges?" I asked. "After all of this started, these witches refused to give up their ways. I alone know the truth of what transpired. Abigail, Betty and Tituba summoned into our world a demon. A demon who cannot leave until he collects those responsible and drags them to hell." Abigail leapt to her feet.

"Gabriel was cursed at birth. This is a lie!" shouted Abigail.

"You mad murderous bitch! This is all YOUR fault. The demon haunts us all, turning neighbor against neighbor until he collects the souls of the witches. I propose we tie them up and leave them for the demon tonight. He has come for their souls. I see we let him have them." The villagers all shouted in agreement and Abigail and her friends were brought out to the square and tied to stakes. Reverand Hale tried to perform an excorcism on me and I played along, returning to my human form. I retreated back to my home and waited for the night.

When the moon had risen in the sky, I shed my coat, armor and my shirt, so I could shed my human guise as my body changed and contorted into a more terrifying, and perfect form. I took off for the center of town, hoping the townspeople have taken the murderous girls to be devoured. Of all the manipulations I've seen over the years, none stood as blatant an affront to the free will of man. Mob logic ruled Salem, and I had turned it against the girls. They were helpless in the town square as I descended before them.

"Witches don't last long in puritan territory, I see. What a pity." I noticed Williams was almost passed out from exhaustion. By some miracle she managed to speak.

"You… lied to me." She said faintly. "John's dead. It's all your fault." Had I not known better, I could swear she was crying.

"He allowed his death to protect his pride. And so God has allowed him into paradise. I fear, however, you shall not join him there." I approached her menacingly and grabbed a hold of her shoulders, tearing her free of her binding. I flapped my mighty wings and took off toward the harbor. Once I was sure I was far enough out that she couldn't swim back, I let her fall to her death. I flew swiftly back to the village and descended behind into the forests to revert to my human form. I returned to my home wearily and slept until the dawn. When the sun had risen, I got dressed fully and went out to greet the townsfolk, and to ensure my message is heard.

Amongst the chatter, I heard questions of why the other girls were still alive and why not only was Abigail gone, but no sign of the "demon" that dragged her away. Fear and paranoia were the girls' favored weapons. Now, I was the one who wielded them. I took the opportunity to dismay the fears of the villagers. "The other girls live", I said, "Because Abigails sin outweighed that of her cohorts. In time, they may be redeemed. The demon had accomplished what he wanted. By turning us against eachother, it sowed the chaos that gave him strength. Remember the madness that has transpired here. And vow to yourselves, your children and their children that it shall never happen again."

I swiftly turned around toward the border to Salem, leaving the madness behind to seek new adventures and horizons, never quite sure where I would be going.


	9. Chapter 9

April 16th, 1775. Lexington Village

Out of one British colony and into another, it seems. Even after Antonio's death, his network of contacts informants and forgers lived on. With that, I had forged a new life for myself and taken a name that would one day live on through history. For the past two centuries I used the Belmont surname. Now, I needed something new. Using the forgers of Antonios network, I established myself as Nathan Hale. Like many in Lexington, I was a patriot. As an Assassin, guardian of the free will of man, it coincided with my goals and my creed, I had been resisting the British in secret, frightening them with my altered form or killing them outright.

Years after the Salem Incident, my armor had to be abandoned and Sonjas Lament is no longer mine Fortanately, my blades had survived well through the centuries. As opposed to previous centuries, where I dressed in such a way to stand out, I decided for once to blend in. white shirt, green vest, black trousers, and a blue overcoat. Oddly enough, I even found a local girl here quite some time ago. Her name was Natalie. 9 years prior, we were married, we even had a child, a beautiful little girl. I named her Sonja, after my mother, she looked a lot like my mother as well. Saphire blue eyes, black hair, pale skin. Secretly, though, My heart always belonged to Selina. This was the day everything turned around for me.

I had returned home from another day of hunting with some venison for the family. Getting to the door, I opened it to find Natalie waiting with a warm, welcoming smile. I walked inside and let Natalie work her magic with the venison; she knew I liked it raw and bloody. As time went on, it seems, I had managed to adapt to human foods. I took to meats quite readily. As soon as Natalie started cooking, I could hear little Sonja coming down the stairs.

"Yay!" she screamed. "Father's home!" She rushed toward me and drew my legs into her embrace. "Did you kill more redcoats today?"

"Easy, Sonja." Little Sonja was in many ways a miracle. Against all odds, she turned out human. However, my nature wasn't made apparent until I reached 13. How would I know if Sonja was like me? "Just gave them a bit of a scare, hopefully they'll back off when they see the bodies."

"You know I don't approve of going against the royals directly, Nathan." Natalie said sternly. I picked little Sonja up and held her close.

"Assassins safeguard mankind's free will. Don't you want little Sonja to grow up without fear of George's insane taxes? You know we couldn't eat if I didn't hunt."

"Isn't that why we have the militia?"

"Father's not waiting for approval. He'll kill them all." Somehow, little Sonja managed to make it all sound cute. I stifled a bit of a laugh and set her down at the table just as Natalie finished cooking our dinner. Throughout the meal, I let my mind wander through my past. Running from the guards and Florence, meeting Ezio and becoming a full assassin, meeting Selina in Walachia… _Selina_! My mind is brought back to reality. "Father, are you okay?"

"Fine. Just a memory. It's getting late. I'm going to put Sonja to bed. You should get some rest." The girls finished their meal and Natalie led little Sonja up to bed. Sleep for me was rare. I loved Selina more than anything, but I was still loyal to the family I had. I had to protect them. I never thought I would ever settle down, at least with a human girl. Funnily, it was at this point that I realized I had been fighting for so long the need was all I knew. My only solace was feeding on the redcoats. Through training and careful conditioning, I could go 2 weeks without feeding before my transformation reflex was triggered.

The hours rolled on by and before I knew it, it was midnight. I would have drifted off to sleep right there, but then there came pounding at my door. When I answered it I was knocked out by a group of redcoats. When I came to again, I saw the Brits dragging Natalie away, and since I was knocked out, struggling to recover, following her scent was useless. I should have been able to take that punch, but I guess that which isn't constantly challenged steadily grows weak.

I got up to my hands and knees when I turned to notice little Sonja standing there in her nightgown with a distressed look on her face. "Father, why are they taking mother away?" I couldn't answer. I just slammed my fist into the floorboards, frightening little Sonja a bit.

"I wasn't strong enough. I just… wasn't strong enough. Natalie… HOW COULD I LET THIS HAPPEN?" For the first time in 2 centuries, I actually broke down emotionally and I hated myself for it. Tears streaming down my face, I actually managed to pull myself together enough to answer her. "I don't think we'll ever see her again. They're taking her to a show trial to be held in the morning, then they plan to execute her to keep the colonists in line."

Too late, I realized I was scaring her. That's when she started crying. I stood up and brought her close to me, drawing her into a calming embrace. "Sh sh shhh. It's going to be okay. We need to get to Philadephia and then you'll be safe." Little Sonja sniffled, but managed a nod. Using the cover of night, we left to find a fast horse that could take us to the colonial capital, where the Assassins Guild's presence in the colonies was strongest. Hopefully my good friend Benjamin Tallmadge would be able to watch her. He was the ranking Master Assassin in the colonial chapter. With luck, little Sonja would grow under his care and tutelage to follow well in my footsteps.

The horse we found had to be fast, since I could tell it belonged to the Lee family of the Virginia colony. I loaded little Sonja onto the back saddle as I took the reins. "Hold on tight." She wrapped her arms around my midsection as we sped off towards the capital. Fortunately, we were able to get there by morning. We had dismounted and I lead her toward the continental congress hall. Not to preach for independence, but to find the rest of the Assassins guild. On the side, I found a mechanism that usually signified the entrance to an Assassins tomb. I pulled the mechanism, and heard the little gears spinning and eventually opening the entrance to the sublevels where the master Assassins guild made their home in the colonies. I led little Sonja by the hand into the buildings depths.

Reaching the end of the stairs, I led little Sonja into the main chamber, which for this guilds hall doubles as a feasting area. I continued to lead little Sonja deeper into the building sublevels to meet with the resident Master Assassin. By the time I got to his chamber, however, Benjamin was conferring with General Washington.

"Please, I implore you," said the good general, "Give me at least a handful of your men. We're on the verge of war and I need every advantage I can get."

Benjamin looked at the general and then he noticed me. "A true leader has faith in their men. Your men do not fight as the British would expect. That is why they have an advantage should the fighting start. Assassins guard humanity's free will and as such cannot take sides in this conflict. Take your leave, general." Washington left and damn near knocked little Sonja over. Tallmadge stepped down from his throne to greet me. He extended his hand and I shook it firmly. "Nathan," he said "My friend. Any news from home?"

"The bastards got her, Ben. Natalie's dead."

"Good lord… Nathan, I'm so sorry."

"There was nothing you could have done. But I have a big favor to ask of you. After all, you owe me for almost getting me kicked out of Yale." I motioned for little Sonja to step forward to meet Ben's gaze. "I'll need you to care for her. I can no longer do so with what I must do." Sonja was about to object before Ben spoke.

"I'll care for and train her as though she was my own." Little Sonja looked up at me and I knelt down to meet her at eye level.

"Listen to me. Mr. Tallmadge is a good friend of mine. Listen to whatever he says and above all, don't be afraid. One day you might be as strong as me." Tears started to well up in her eyes and she started to cry.

"I don't want to lose you, too. Mother's dead, I don't want the redcoats to kill you too."

"Don't worry. Do you remember those stories I told you about Cornell Belmont?" little Sonja nodded, though she was still crying. I concentrated my transformation reflex to the hand that I had placed on her shoulder. Immediately my fingernails sharpened into black claws as my hand shifted into it's inhuman form, covering with black fur and developing canine pads. Soon, even little Sonja was a believer. "My kind live far longer than humans. I still question if I can ever die of age. You might turn out just like me."

She looked at me confused as my hand returned to its human shape. "so I'm not really human?" she asked.

"My mother was what the redcoats might call Nosferatu: a vampire. You look so much like her that you're the only thing I have left of her. That's why you have to stay with Mr. Tallmadge. Do you remember the creed that Cornell lived by?" Little Sonja took a deep breath, as if intent on using one breath to recite the creed.

"Stay thy blade from the flesh of an innocent, always hide in plain sight, do nothing to compromise the brotherhood." Again, somehow it actually sounded cute coming from little Sonja. I got up and said one last thing to little Sonja. "Make me proud." I turned around to leave the sublevels and make my way back to Lexington. Before I could leave, Benjamin caught me on the way out and gave me a pair of hidden gun attachments, which he promptly removed my standard hidden blades and attached the new ones featuring the gun. This would become my most valuable tool. I thanked him for the new weapons and left for Lexington.

When I returned it was the dead of night. This horse was abnormally fast. The next day, the militia would gather to resist the british. I would be among them. The next day, the Militia gathered outside Lexington And sure enough, I had joined them. While I waited for our captain to issue the orders, I made sure the new hidden blades worked. I extended and retracted them. That's when the captain showed up. He said a redcoat regiment would be moving in to force us off Lexington. He also said that we were not to fire unless fired upon. As the enemy approached, we got into a blockade formation. I could hear the Brits' commander shouting to his regiment.

"Men, disarm them!" We refused to move, we refused to give in. Again he shouted to his men. "Disarm the rebels!" nobody would give. At this point, I seized the initiative. I prepared the hidden gun on my right arm, aimed for the captain, and pulled the trigger. The sound was deafening, I suspect it may have been heard all over the world. And in one single instant, a nation is born.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The war had officially begun. Alongside General Washington, we opposed the oppressive grip of the king. We fought hard, struck where they never expected, and it was paying off. Bunker Hill was our last major victory. We managed to fortify the position literally overnight and when fighting finally broke out, we crushed the British. The numbers are all there. Their force was huge. 3000 in total. Of the 226 killed that day, I took out at least 57 in close-quarters combat. Of the 828 wounded, 46 were bitten by me, and died painfully during treatment. Because of our smaller force, our losses were about even in proportion, but we lost less than 500 people, while the redcoats lost over a thousand. I was en route to new york after that with Washington and his best regiment, Those under my command. We called ourselves the Hades Corps, masters of the night, set to drag the redcoats to the gates of hell.

We were few in number, but strong in heart. There were 8 of us. Marshal, George (not Washington), Ethan, Jonathan, Simon, Julius, and me. All of us were lost to history, but our impact was not. Various small skirmishes abound, but we found some rest on July 4thof that year. The rest of the Hades Corps made camp outside the besieged city of Boston. Symbolically, it was a cage to the British, until their troops were slaughtered by marauding werewolves, which unlike Lycans, are forever bound to their lupine form. As I watched the city, I noticed a carrier pigeon out the corner of my eye. It was one of Tallmadge's pigeons. Instead of carrying a message on a leg, it was carrying an envelope.

I collected the envelope from the pigeon, fed it, and sent it on its way. Opening the envelope, I found it held two papers. The first was a letter from Benjamin Tallmadge describing his thoughts on our progress with the war. He also described little Sonjas first transformation. He also mentioned that little Sonja took well to the training. Mentioning that he would not be surprised if she succeeded him one day. The second piece was a sketch done of little Sonjas altered form. Naturally, her proportions were unchanged, but she had more in common with lycans than werewolves. She had less fur than I did, and she had a shorter muzzle. She still had wings, and a tail for balance. Remarkably, the sketch showed all her clothing intact. Still, remarkably, little Sonja managed to make it look cute.

I folded the sketch away into one of my pockets and joined the rest of the Hades Corps. When morning came, we marched on. Through hardships untold, and small battles scattered throughout our path to New York. It took us until September to arrive there, where we met up with General Washington. On the 8th, he approached Hades Corps We all stood at attention. "Hades Corps, it's time for your most difficult assignment. We need someone to go behind enemy lines and report on their troop movements. If we want to take the town back, we have to know where to strike. I'm not forcing any of you to do anything. You know the penalty for capture. If you want to go, step forward now." I stepped forward when no one else did.

"I volunteer."

"Are you certain?" asked the general.

"The bastards took my wife, George. My family is scattered and in hiding. The truth of it is that I have truly nothing left to lose."

"Makes a man dangerous. I won't let you go it alone." said Simon. "Take me with you." The rest of the Hades corps stepped forward, taking Simon's led.

"I can't let you do this. You and these other men have your own destinies to fulfill. This last act of service is mine."

"You really think we'll abandon you," said Jonathan, "after all we've been through. Who was it that rallied us to fortify Bunker Hill in one night?"

"I did but…"

"And who was at the front lines in Lexington? Who stood up to the british and said Enough? And who…"

"Enough," I said, "but that changes everything. Your objective is to keep tabs on their troop movements. I'll cause as much havoc as I can and drive the bastards back." With those words we waited 4 days to deploy into new york. On the morning of sertember the twelfth, the Hades Corps and I were ferried across to the island where we all went our separate ways. It was deep in the night under the moon and the stars that I shed my human shell. I tore off all of my upper garments leaving my chest and arms bare except for my blade bracers. It has been so long since I had last transformed, the experience this time was much slower, and actually painful. Closing my eyes as it began, I could hear my bones shifting and breaking only to mend and reform, a subtle itch swept over me brining a thick coat of lupine fur.

My fingernails gave way to wicked black claws and my spine extended into a long, lupine tail, designed for balance in the air and at speed on land. As my face pushes out into a powerful lupine jaw, thoughts of anger and revenge dominate my mind. All I began to care about was crushing the enemy under my heels. As my legs finished taking on their digigrade shape, My back exploded in pain as one of my wings grew in followed by the next. I spread each one violently to shake off the stiffness as a thin coat of fur spread across them. Under the moonlit sky, my eyes opened and I unleashed a vengeful howl before leaping into the air and taking flight.

New York province didn't look like a battleground in the traditional sense, making it easier to spot potential prey. One such moment arose and out of the forest stepped a redcoat patrol about 9 strong. They had a slightly familiar scent but I could tell none of them had anything to do with Natalie's execution, but for serving under the crown, an example must be made of them. I descend before them and they weren't sure what to do. Just as they aligned their muskets I rose to my hind legs and dashed forward before they could fire. The first had his throat slit by my wing. The next tried to shoot me again, but I was able to grab his musket and stab him in the heart with his own Bayonet. The remaining seven drew their swords and came at me but I used wings as defensive blades, parrying every strike opening the window for my wrist blades to finish them off. The captain was remarkably still alive.

"So one yet lives. Pitty. You're not going to enjoy this." I said as I approached him menacingly, blades drawn, saliva dripping from my vicious teeth. The captain tried to back away quickly on the ground, scuttling back like an insect. A menacing snarl escaped my maw as my bat-like ears picked up his quickened heartbeat.

"Who… what are you?" he asked in a panicked frenzy.

"If I had a pound for every time I've heard that, I'd be very wealthy. Who I am is of no importance. What matters is what I am. Where I go, death to the unworthy will come on very swift wings. You stand at this precipice because of the oppression you have allowed."

"I act by will of the king. It is he you must take issue with." Said the captain as I drew ever closer, his frenzied mind struggling to cope with his impending demise. "Spare me and God will spare you." I drew even closer, grabbing him by the neck and hoisted him up.

"You invoke the wrath of God? Foolish Englishman. If god wanted you to live, He wouldn't have created me." In one swift motion, I simultaneously snapped his neck and tore his throat out. Clearly I would be a bloody mess before this was over. But from the dead soldiers, I caught a familiar scent. It would have to wait. Morning came and I reverted to human form, stealing one of the soldiers uniforms in the hopes of blending in. I spent three days in cognito, but then Washington was forced to retreat when the british took control, leaving me behind.

Hoping to prevent the British from taking the city, I spent the next six days regrouping the Hades corps and together we set fire to the lower portion of Manhattan. It was after that that we split up again. In the chaos, I watched from above as they tried to round up suspected partisans. It was then that I spied him. The man who stole Natalie away from me. I shed my upper garments once more and the rage in my heart triggered my transformation reflex. As it ended, I took off and before anyone could blink, swooped down and plucked my target from the ground. I set him down and landed atop Beekman House, holding him by the neck over the edge. "The time has come for you to atone for your sins. The blood of the innocent cries out for justice."

"I… don't… understand!" he struggled to speak as his airways were constricted. I drew his face closer to mine.

"Remember Natalie Hale? A woman you condemned to death?"

"What was she to you, dog? A master?"

"She was my wife. You murdered her!" I extended my arm again, holding him over the edge.

"You and the colonists must learn their place. And now you dare strike out against us?"

"No army can stop an idea whose time has come. When they tell the story of our revolution, it is I who will be remembered. You will fade into nothing." I pulled him back and bit deep into his shoulder, drawing on the sweet blood of revenge from his veins. I left him atop that roof, screaming in unbearable agony. It was worth it, knowing Natalie could now rest peacefully. As I take to the skies again, I saw scores of riflemen taking aim. As they fire, their rounds pierce my wing membrane, as it's hit more and more, I loose altitude only to crash down and revert to my human form. I was surrounded on all sides, in terrible pain, I couldn't fight back, so I had no choice but to be dragged into Beekman House. I was seated inside an office with generous stacks of books on the shelves and the desk held a battle map of Manhatten.

I heard footsteps from one of the rooms coming into the office. I saw a man clad in the uniform of a british general. I had observed this man before the revolution, a man of character, until I fired the shot that started the nation. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble, Mr. Hale. A blazing fire, my men killed. I've seen the bodies, Nathan. Claw marks, missing throats. What the hell are you?" H slammed his fist into the desk in front of me. I remained calm and stoic, hoping to use his rage against him.

"If some animal can just sneak through the lines and kill your men. Like at Boston. Oh, the tragedy of being unable to escape while they were slaughtered horribly."

"Cut the bullshit, Hale. You know what killed my men in Boston and you know damn well what attacked them here. Tell me everything you know."

"You really want to know, don't you? You'd never believe me if I told you. You've heard the stories from the werewolf trials, haven't you? Not ALL of those executed were crazy. Some were actually werewolves. Lycans, actually, since they were able to take human form. Werewolves are forced to remain animals forever and be grateful your men in Boston are all dead. As for what attacked your men here, I was the one who killed them." It was then I allowed my canines to sharpen and my claws to grow out and blacken. I even let my wings loose and swiped the bladed tip of my left wing across his face before retracting them back into my body. I could tell that Howe was only getting more and more pissed off. But his face betrayed a stunned general unable to make sense of what he saw.

"What the hell are you?"

"I am the howling vengeance you hear under the moon, the shadow on the ground cast from the skies above. A union of ancient bloodlines once deemed incompatible. The strengths of both the weaknesses of neither." He was in fear and sent his guards to cast me into the green house. "Can I at least get a bible?" I asked.

"What does it matter to you, Hale? You're not even human."

"So, I don't get a clergyman either?" Howe slammed the door, leaving me to overheat in the green house until the next day. I spent the night contemplating what I believed to be my last moments. How ironic that we Assassins promote peace through murder. I tried to keep my values in mind, but how often had I abused the power in my blood simply to achieve my goal? The horrible deaths so many had endured because of my bite or my blades, were they really worth it? Did I ever really have a right to decide who should live or die for the greater good? And how many had to die simply to sate my bloodlust? I pondered these questions until morning, and accepted whatever fate awaited me. In the morning Two men came into the greenhouse and bound my wrists with steel shackles.

I was lead down Post Road past the sites of many skirmishes. I saw the bodies I had left in my wake, torn and mutilated. When we reached the Park of Artillery, I was led to the gallows. Upon standing on the platform, I saw the crowd around me. Some were patriots, like myself. Others were loyalists. A young former slave no older than thirteen prepared my noose before one of Howe's guards stepped up to address the crowd before turning to me. "Nathan Hale, you stand here accused of murder," he said. The crowd gasped. "Espionage, and treason against the crown. The sentence for all of these is death. And so, you shall hang from the neck until dead. Have you any last words?" I took a step forward, lifted my head, and took in a deep breath.

"How beautiful is death, when earned by virtue. Who would be that youth? What pity is it that we can die but once to serve our country." The hangman pulled the lever and I fell, twitching and gasping for breath, a thick and icy darkness creeps through my vision and my soul and suddenly, nothing. When I came to again, I didn't know what to feel. I was relieved to be alive, but confused at the same time. I looked around to see myself on the slab as I watched two men digging my grave.

"Should we even bother with a grave stone. It's not like anyone will remember him this is all over." I got up and transformed silently, approaching my would-be gravediggers with blades extended.

"It's big enough for two." I said. I thrust one blade through each of them. As they started spewing blood out their mouths, I retracted my blades and shoved them into the hole. I licked the blood from my bracers and felt my strength renewed. After that, years had passed before I met General Washington again. I met him again on his deathbed. I knelt by his side, hanging on his every word. In his weakened state, he produced a sword and presented it to me. It was HIS coulichmarde that he used in the war.

"Nathan, you haven't aged a day. Sadly, I die before I see my legacy. Your impact is one you can observe through the ages. And so I give you my sword. Riase it only in defense, just as America will never take up her sword against any other nation." I took his sword for myself and our first president died without pain. Never in my life had I met a nobler man. To the point that what slaves he had were freed in his will. It was a privilege to serve him, but all he had taught me will be carried on into my uncertain future.


End file.
